Earlier today, Andrew Revkin of the New York Times published another open letter, this one signed by former NRC Chairman Dick Meserve, among others, applauding the actions of those four scientists and endorsing the same course of action on expanding nuclear energy.

The energy needs of the world are large and growing. The one billion people that do not even have access to electricity cannot be denied the ability to improve their quality of life. Nuclear energy provides a scaleable, clean source of safe power which, with other clean energy sources, can meet the world's needs in a sustainable manner. We applaud and support the efforts of the climate scientist authors of the originally cited letter. Drs. Caldeira, Emanuel, Hansen and Wigley, for bringing the issue of the need for nuclear power to the world environmental community and policy leaders.

2 comments:

Signing letters is nice and fine but why not broadcast even a two or three shot public appeal for supporters and academic backing on some TV markets? Surly the organizations concerned can pass the cup around and cash in for 30-second TV and radio spots which will do great service as a heads-up to the public and colleges that such a vital environmental-energy issue is happening under their radar. I mean if PUPPY RESCUE can afford cable TY spots in major markets like NYC-metro...

You could easily replace base-load electricity production from fossil fuels with carbon neutral nuclear power by simply increasing the production of electricity at existing nuclear sites. This can be done by gradually adding small nuclear reactors to each existing site over the course of two or three decades.

The more than 60 nuclear sites in the US could easily accommodate capacities up to 8GWe electric without significant heat island problems.

The production of hydrogen during off-peak hours by nuclear power plants could be used to substantially increase carbon neutral bio-methanol production from urban and rural biowaste.

This carbon neutral methanol could be used in slightly modified gas turbines for the production of peak-load electricity. Such turbines actually produce electricity more efficiently than natural gas.

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